Straw-cutter



(No Model.)

J. WALKER.

STRAW CUTTER.

Patented Aug. 9, 1881.4

Witnesses:

I V164 E),

Inve- 11307 N. PEYERS. Pholfl-Lllhcgrlpher. Waslvinglum n. c.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WALKER, OF MANCHESTER, VIRGINIA.

STRAW-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,331, dated August 9, 1881.

Application filed January 19, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WALKER, of Manchester, in the county of Chesterfield and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Straw-Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of my invention is to provide a compact, cheap, and yet efficient machine for cutting straw, hay, and other fodder. This I accomplish by providing a curved, circular, or semicircular knife attached to the hand-lever and revolved in a plane at a right angle to the material to be cut by suitable mechanism, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of my invention,while Figs. 2, 3, and 4. are simply modifications of the mechanism for revolving the knife. I

In Fig. 1, A A is the frame; B, the box in which the material to be cut is placed. The knife 0 is curved, circular, or semicircular, and pivoted to the hand-lever D immediately above the center of the cutting-box B. The shaft to which the knife 0 is fixed passes through the lever D,and has fixed upon it the cog-wheel E, which engages the toothed segment F,fixed to the frame A. The knife-guide bis fixed to the front of the cutting-box B,and at such distance from it as to allow the knife 0 to pass freely up and down between it and the end of the cutting-box B.

The operation of my machine isa follows, viz: The machine beingin the position shown in Fig. 1, the material to be cut is placed in the cutting-box B and pushed out under the knife 0. The lever D being depressed, the cutting-edge of the knife 0, moving in a plane at a right angle to the material in the cutting-box, is brought forcibly against the straw. At the same time the cog-wheel E, engaging the fixed toothed segment F, is revolved, carrying with it the knife (J, in direction of the arrow, thus drawing the cutting-edge of the knife G across the straw in a plane at a right angle thereto, and with a natural cutting-stroke, whereby great cutting effect is obtained with the least expenditure ofpower. The guide 1) holds the knife 0 to its place and prevents it from crowdin g off from the edge of the cutting-box B and leaving a portion of the straw uncut.

(No model.)

In Fig. 2 the parts are similar, except that the cog wheel E is replaced by the roller E, upon which a chain or cord, H, fixed to the guard G, is wound, and by which the knife 0 is revolved, while the spiral spring Kkeeps the chain H always tight, and revolves the knife 0 backward when the lever D is raised.

In Fig. 3 the knife 0 is simply pivoted to the lever D, and is revolved by the connecting-rod N, acting through the lever M, and connecting-rod P, attached to the knife 0 at Q.

Fig. 4 is a combination of the principles of Figs. 1 and 3. The cog-wheel E engages the toothed segment F, which is pivoted with the lever D at d. The segment F is operated by the connecting-rod N, aotin g through the lever M, and connecting-rod I, attached to the segment F at Q. These are the most natural variations of the device shown in Fig. 1, which latter I claim as my original device.

I am aware that a knife-guide similar to that shown at b, Fig; 1, has been often used; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a straw-cutter, the hand-lever D, provided with a revolving knife, (J,and cog-Wheel E, constucted and arranged substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a straw-cutter, of the revolving knife 0, constructed and arranged as described, and suitable mechanism, substantiall y as described, for operating said knife in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in astraw-cutter, of the revolving knife 0, lever D, cog-wheel E, and toothed segment F, the several parts constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown.

4. In a straw-cutter, the combination,with the cutting-box B, provided with knife-guide b, of the revolving knife 0, operated by lever D, in combination with cog-wheel E and toothed segment F, the several parts constructed and arranged substantially as shown.

This specification signed and witnessed this 18th day of January, 1881.

JOSEPH WALKER.

Witnesses:

OSCAR E. PERRIGO, JOSEPH BERUIOOHI. 

